The present invention generally relates to tape loading devices in recording and/or reproducing apparatuses, and more particularly to a tape loading device comprising a pair of members for drawing out a tape within a cassette in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus to load the tape unto a predetermined tape path and a pair of loop-shaped bands or belts for moving the pair of members, wherein a pair of rotary bodies for driving the pair of belts to travel are arranged coaxially.
Conventionally, there was a tape loading device for drawing out a magnetic tape from within a cassette which is loaded into a predetermined position inside a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and load the tape unto a predetermined tape path in the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. In this conventional device, a pair of belts (endless timing belts) are driven to travel so as to move a pair of loading poles to predetermined positions outside the cassette from positions within the cassette. The tape within the cassette is intercepted by these loading poles and drawn out of the cassette, and the tape is finally loaded unto the predetermined tape path making contact with a guide drum comprising heads. An example of this type of a conventional tape loading device is disclosed in a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 241,254 filed Mar. 6, 1981 in which the assignee is the same as that of the present application.
However, in the above described conventional tape loading device, a pair of timing gears for driving the respective timing belts are provided independently on both sides of the guide drum. Accordingly, a space is independently required in the plan view of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, for each of the pair of timing gears. Therefore, there was a problem in that it was difficult to downsize the tape loading device and hence downsize the recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising the tape loading device.